1. Pathway to misery

★ELAINE'S POV★

Hot tears rolled in rivulets down my cheeks. I couldn't ignore the gut-wrenching feeling that clouded my stomach as I pondered his words in my head over and over again;

“You are not my type. Haven't you heard what people say about you? You are cursed and you carry the birthmark, predicted to bring doom and an impending plague to werewolf kind. Do you want me to stick with that? I, Nathaniel Perkins, son of the Alpha from blue moon pack hereby reject you, Elaine Mc cray as my mate!”

More tears cascaded down my cheeks. All my life, I have lurked beneath the shadows. I blamed myself every day for being the cause of my mother's death — She died after birthing me. Because of that, my father, the Alpha of the blood moon pack, treated me with disdain. He abhorred the fact that I took away the love of his life and his partner. However, his hatred for me doesn't end there. In addition, he despise me for not being a male. And lastly, because of the birthmark at the base of my neck.

As the daughter of an Alpha, my life has been nothing but a shit hole, people in the pack cast scornful glares at me whenever I walked past. I have endured several years of humiliation and being ostracized. But deep down, I wanted to be loved. I craved to be desired and adored. Prompting why, I waited to complete eighteen today, just so I could meet my mate and depart far away from this pack.

Nevertheless, my mate also treated me the same way people have been with me. With scorn. He rejected me in front of all the other young werewolves gathered around the multipurpose hall to bond with their mates.

Alas, the only person that stuck with me through thick and thin is my maid, Tania. She had been like a sister to me, cared for me, and also extended an olive branch of friendship. We have been together for so long that I no longer considered her my servant. Rather, as my sister.

Tania kept on rubbing a small of my back, hoping to pacify me. “You are going to be okay, Elaine. Take this as one of those phases filled with despair. Soon, it will pass away.” She cooed.

“But when?” I asked, sniffling back sobs. “When will I finally be accepted? Why did I come into this cruel world if no one is willing to acknowledge me?” My heart clenched in a fistful of anguish, ricocheted with dismal as I speak.

“I guess I am no one then,” Tania stated in a displeased tone.

“No no no no, I did not mean that, Tania.” I took her hand in mine and she cast me a weary stare. “I know you accept me and I really appreciate that. But you have to understand from my perspective. Will I remain an outcast forever? Will remain the same weak, unmated, and cursed she-wolf until I die?”

Just as Tania was about to utter something else, the door to my room flung open and my father stormed in. “Pack your things immediately, Elaine!”

Rising to my feet, my brows contorted in confusion. “But why, father?”

“You are going to be Alpha Damon's Luna.” He breathed, picking up a few of my things from the floor. And then, he handed them over to Tania, whose face revealed just how stunned she was also with the sudden declaration.

My breath hitched.

“What?” I huffed in disbelief. “The same vile and ruthless Alpha Damon from the Lycanfrost pack?” My pupils dilated in shock and I still couldn't believe my ears.

My father shrugged. “Of course, who else?”

“How can you barge into my room and then blurt out something this distasteful?” I spat.

He pointed a finger at my face and seethed with a demeaning tone. “You can't go against my word, Elaine. After all, your mate rejected you. And he lost his Luna to the cold hands of death a month ago. It's a win-win situation.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” I fired back angrily. “How can you ask me to be with a man that's not my mate and that's not from my pack?”

“Because this is the only way to cover up this humiliation. To retain my self-esteem as an Alpha.” He retorted sharply.

Almost at once, I burst into a series of raucous laughter. But deep down, I was hurting. I have been used to masking my anguish with a smiling face and most people never notice. Except, Tania of course.

When my laughter died down, the amusement in my face vanished into thin air, only to be soon replaced with a scowl. “So this is just about your self-esteem? Is that all that matters to you? Am I not your daughter? Ever since I was born, you have done nothing but cast me out like a plague!" My voice cracked. Fresh tears were filling my eyes.

“Don't you dare speak to me like that! I am the Alpha of this pack!” my father roared.

With tears blurring my vision, I looked around and let out a sad chortle. Then, back to him. “Who cares if you are the Alpha of this pack?” And with a scoff, I added. “After all that's all you have been but nothing significant in my life!”

My father violently stomped his right foot on the floor. “And you have been a burden to me all along!” His vile words ricocheted into my heart and shattered it into fragments.

What? I scoffed in disbelief.

“You came into this world and took away the most precious person in my life! And you couldn't even comfort me by being a male, instead, you emerged a weak female who can't even succeed on my throne. You have a birthmark that carries plague and misfortune. And now, the only person I hoped could restore my faith in you, publicly rejected you today. So I'd advise you to leave without objecting because you have no option!”

“You are the most selfish, cruel, and demeaning being I have ever met!” I seethed between gritted teeth, prompting him to slap me hard against my right cheek.

My head turned sideways.

When I brought my head back to him, I cast a glare at him. To be honest, I have never dared to confront my father in this manner. Ever since I became aware of my plights, I listened when he speaks and never retorts. Rather, I'd just simply obey and adhere to his rules, as though it doesn't affect me. But it did.

Perhaps, this rage emanated from the pain I felt after being rejected. Or maybe, I have tried so hard to conceal this part of me until now. Either way, I was glad to hurl these words at my father's face. After the age of five, I grew up to realize then that the Luna with him, wasn't my mom. Because she maltreated me even while she was pregnant with a pup. Now she has two kids; a male, who is going to succeed my father's throne, and a female, who hates my guts so much.

“You slapped me?” I questioned as my voice shook with tears.

“And I will do it all over again. You, ungrateful, pathetic little bitch!” He bellowed.

Thus, that was the height of it. I couldn't take this maltreatment anymore because I have had enough. With my stomach dipping in agony, I declared — “Fine, I will leave. But don't you ever dare to look for me because I won't be coming back! Even when I die, don't seek my corpse.”

“Like I give a damn!” He tossed his hand in the air dismissively before walking out of my room.

And I slipped to the floor, wailing profusely.

★

Throughout the journey to the Lycanfrost pack, tears didn't cease pouring down my cheeks. The despair coursing through my veins knew no limit. I wished I had never been born into this cruel world, rather than facing miseries upon miseries, every given day. My mind was clouded with agony, and my head– with emptiness. I felt so shattered, so broken and abandoned. I felt like a pile of trash tossed into a junkyard.

“Everything is going to be fine, Elaine.” Tania held my hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

But I couldn't even feign a smile. My face felt frozen from sadness and my lips pressed together into a grim line. So instead of uttering a word, I rested my head on her shoulder, crying until I drifted asleep.

“We have arrived at the Lycanfrost pack!”

That baritone voice jolted me awake as our carriage pulled to a halt. My vision blurred, my eyes stung a lot from crying too much and my head was heavy. Suddenly recollecting everything that has happened so far, fresh tears welled up in my eyes.

The realization that I was going to be living a new life as someone's Luna finally dawned on me, and ripped me, inside out.

“Brace yourself, my lady.” Tania wiped the tears from my swollen face as she smoothened it with the back of her hand. “You can do this. Let's learn to rely on each other from now, okay?”

Issuing her a reluctant nod, my eyes averted to the carriage door as it creaked open. Omega Gil from my pack stretched out his hand forward. “Let me help you, my lady.” but I brushed him off, and hauled myself down.

Tania followed right behind me.

“I will depart soon after your luggage has been offloaded,” Gil informed me then he began to bring down my things from the back of the carriage.

When he was done, he clasped his hands together and bade me farewell before returning to our pack in the carriage.

Alas, I stood at the entrance of the gargantuan-sized house with Tania beside me. In the short span of ten seconds, three omegas darted out and bowed in deference to me.

“Greetings, Luna.” A blond young male omega stated. “We have been instructed to usher you in. So while Greg and Steve take your things to your room. I will escort you to the throne room to meet Alpha Damon.”

At the mention of his name, a cold sensation sprang up from the sole of my feet, coursing through my entire body. Without a word, I followed behind him while Tania left with the omegas, handling my luggage.

Upon the entrance, it was welcoming and large. I trudged through the hallway, scrutinizing the whole edifice. The walls were highly crafted with bricks and fine materials, and portraits of Alpha Damon led right from the hallway, to the throne room. Where my betrothed sat, waiting for me.

His eyes feasted upon mine, piercing into the depth of my soul. Inside, I was shaken to bits, but I tried to maintain my poise. There was no hint of amusement in his eyes and I could tell that he was observing me. But something didn't sit right.

Coming here, I expected Alpha Damon to be ugly and appalling at sight. But alas, he turned out to be quite appealing. His light-toned face was arched with a sharp jawline. His captivating blue orb eyes gleam in the dark, accentuated with a Grecian nose and thin lips. However, his expression remained blank.

“So you are Elaine.” His words didn't sound like a question or like a statement. “I got your father's letter. My omega will escort you to your room. Get some rest.” His resilient baritone was definite.

Lightning flashed across the freezing sky, illuminating the hallway out of its darkness until we got to my room. The omega opened the door and gestured that I preceded him.

My eyes surveyed the room. It was dimly- lit, with a vintage bedside lamp that seemed to be almost out of power. Painted in a shadowy and sumptuous royal blue with some touch of beige. There was a large wardrobe at the rear corner of the room, tightly close with its content unrevealed. The polished magnanimous bed furniture is situated at the center of the room, with the sheets perfectly arranged.

“I will leave you to it, my lady.” The omega closed the door shut, leaving me to my tumultuous nerves.

Once more, I looked around, wondering where Tania was at the moment. Although the house seemed elusively big, I decided to search for Tania. Perhaps, we could get to understand the layout together. Then, we'd escape and become rogues.

So, I sauntered out, wandering through the hallway, oblivious to the path it led. Tracing my steps, I listened attentively for any preceding footsteps. But my ears grasped a loud noise rather.

It seemed like a muffled yell for help. Somehow, it managed to resonate through the hallway, so I moved in that direction until I got to a black door. Could it be Tania? I thought to myself.

With my heart in my hands, I pressed down on the knob and the door creaked open. But the moment my eyes landed on what was inside the room, my heart sank, my knees wobbled and my head became numb. I simply froze. Instead of running away, I yelled at the top of my lungs.